Work from Home Women: Overcome the Pay Gap and Launch a Successful Career

Many women put off the thought of working from home because of the possible pay gaps and the stress associated with managing the strict timelines while working for a company. However, if you budget your money properly, prioritize your workload, and learn how to keep yourself organized, you can launch a very successful career. The […]

Many women put off the thought of working from home because of the possible pay gaps and the stress associated with managing the strict timelines while working for a company. However, if you budget your money properly, prioritize your workload, and learn how to keep yourself organized, you can launch a very successful career. The key is to approach your work just like you would if you worked outside the home. Even though you have increased flexibility, it’s important that you keep your family life and your work as separate as possible.

Promote Your Career

In order for you to build a successful career, you need to promote yourself and your work. Timely completion of your project assigned by the company you are working for can help in building a long lasting relationship and better payment. Ask for references from a satisfied company and put a few of them on your social media profiles. Update your LinkedIn profile often and continuously add acquired skills, endorsements and recommendations received.

Prioritize Your Jobs

It’s important to prioritize your jobs. Set deadlines for each one and make checklists so that you make sure you complete all of the instructions. By prioritizing your projects, you will make it easy to consistently meet or exceed your clients’ expectations. If you know that certain jobs will take extra time to complete, make sure to allow for that in your scheduling. Communicate with your client frequently and provide them with updates if needed.

Budget Your Pay

Working from home can mean several days without a paycheck. To account for that, learn to budget your money. While it’s important to set a weekly goal in terms of income, your clients may not pay you the day you turn in the work. In most cases, transcription services offer a “Net 15 or Net 30” option. This means that payment is due in either 15 or 30 days. This is why budgeting your pay is so helpful. Even though you earn $500 a week, you may not receive that amount for several days. When your payments start to come in, set a percentage aside so you will be able to make it through the lean days when there isn’t a check in the mail.

Pay Ahead When You Can

The phrase “when it rains it pours” is a good description of how a work at home professional gets paid. While you might not see a paycheck for a period of time, when the money starts to roll in it can be a little overwhelming. It’s important not to go overboard with your spending. Stick to your budget! Pay your bills and put the rest into a savings account. If you have a little more than you thought, pay a one or two of your normal bills ahead. This will give you some cushion if your finances get tight before the next wave of payments starts to appear.

Take Time for Yourself!

One of the biggest problems for women who work from home is burnout. Create a schedule and follow it. As you start to fill up your days with work hours, make sure to have a few hours a day for yourself. There may be times when a rush job comes in or you need to meet a deadline and have to change your schedule. Whenever this happens, make sure to remember to make up your “me” time as soon as its convenient. You can’t stay focused if you are tired and overworked.

In Conclusion

When you are your own boss, all of the responsibility lies on your shoulders. If you want to succeed, you need to put in the work to make it happen. Be prepared for challenges you will face and take the necessary steps to work through them. Plan ahead and be aware of every aspect of your business. As you begin to see the changes that indicate positive growth, set even higher goals and continue to move forward.

Beth Worthy is the CFO and Director of Operations for GMR Transcription Services, Inc. She has enjoyed success at GMR for almost ten years now and has helped the company grow. Within two years of Beth managing GMR Transcription, it had doubled in sales and was named one of the OC Business Journal’s fastest growing private companies. Outside of work, she likes spending time with her husband and two kids.

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